Riding tricks
by Gypsy Wolf
Summary: A oneshot story of Tobe trying some new riding tricks while Kel's not looking.


Disclaimer I do not own the characters or places they all belong to Tamora Pierce.

The plot came from an idea i got while watching kingdom of heaven (great movie). Please read all reveiws welcome.

Ridding Tricks

It was a cool early morning at New Hope. Tobe was up early so he could escape before the lady managed to catch him with a list of chores. As much as he loved Kel and looked up at her like the mother he never had, he reasoned that a boy needed time to himself every once in a while. Besides, he reasoned to Peachblossom I will never use the lessons on numbers and letters anyway.

Sneaking out of New Hope with the ploughers as the guards opened the gate, he and Peachblossum headed out to a small hill covered in nice squishy grass.

'Okay boy, let's try this!' Tobe whispered in excitement.

'Just don't fall off!' snorted a disgruntled Peachblossum, for begin obliged to come outside so early when it was so cold.

Tobe had been watching some Riders practice one day when they had been at Steadfast for Lord Roual's wedding. They had been leaning off to one side of their ponies. One had even jumped from side to side of their ponies back while the pony had been trotting contently around the arena. He had wanted to try the tricks ever since, much to Mother's disgust. She could be so fussy without even realizing it sometimes.

Mounting Peachblossom, he moved forward into a steady trot. Grasping a lock of Peachblossoms mane, Tobe slide down his side only realizing too late that he had unbalanced himself. He fell to the ground with a thud. Peach blossom stopped a few feet away and turned to look at the boy 'I told you not to do that.' the horse laughed.

'Well, that didn't work' remarked the Tobe picking himself up off the ground.

A roar of laughter echoed behind him. Turning around, Tobe found himself face to face with one of the squads from the Kings Own. Their faces a laugh with mirth to have been able to see Tobe, a well know Horse Mage, fall off. The squad leader grinned evilly down at the young boy before setting his horse forward into a trot. Leaning forward he moved his leg over his saddle and used his stirrup to control his balance before swinging his leg back over his horse. The sergeant turned his mare around to face the boy, blue eyes bright with his excitement.

Tobe looked at the unsaddled Peachblossom. 'I suppose one of those things help, don't they?' Tobe sighed. He hated saddles because he felt constrained and out of touch with the horse he was ridding with.

'Yes Tobe, it does help, but I very much doubt Lady Kel will be letting you try that any time soon.' Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle told the young boy.

'I won't tell if you don't.' Tobe pleaded

'Nice try, but I don't feel like getting into her bad books. Do you?'

'No.' Tobe snuffed. He always liked it when Dom and his squad came to help out Tobe knew they would stop Kel from doing anything stupid. For some reason he had always noticed that Lady Kel was an awful lot more understanding of matters when they came to call, particularly when Sergeant Dom was near.

'Well, when Lady Kel says I can learn to do tricks like that, will you teach me?' Tobe pleaded, pulling his best puppy dog eyes. Causing the men to break out into more fits of laughter.

'We'll see Tobe. Now mount up we're late.' Dom replied, eyes shining even brighter, unable to resist a final poke. 'And Tobe? Try to stay on this time.' The men started to laugh. Tobe joined them, having seen the spark in Dom's eye. Feeling glad to have such friends as them they raced back to New Hope.

Unbeknownst to the unsuspecting riders, a tall figure with short brown hair and dreamer's eyes stood watching them from the wall. She'd gasped at the sight of Tobe's unplanned fall, laughed with the squad at his embarrassment and smiled longingly at the man riding towards her with the sparkling blue eyes. Looking at her young henchman enjoying the race Kel thought to herself 'Well Tobe, you're just lucky Dom's here or I would be really mad'. Then returned her gaze back to her long time crush finding happiness for just a moment in seeing him.

Gypsy Wolf: Hope you all liked it!


End file.
